Maharashtra Congress hits streets with OPS demand

The Congress that has been questioning the Eknath Shinde-BJP government in the Maharashtra assembly on bringing back the old pension scheme for state government employees is now taking the battle to the streets.

On Saturday, Congress leader Satej Patil led a march of former state government employees in Kolhapur, seeking a return to the old pension scheme.

"Employees are angry as they are facing difficulty in the new pension scheme. Today we have started this march in Kolhapur; I have suggested to the employee representatives to take out such marches in other districts of the state too," Patil told ET.


Patil clarified that while the Congress had been supportive of the demand of the employees, he had been advocating the demand of the employees in his personal capacity.

Maharashtra deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday said that while the state was willing to talk to the employees to find out a solution, going back to the old pension scheme would lead to financial bankruptcy a few years down the line.

Patil said the employees who had put years of service deserved to get a decent pension.